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This website is unofficial website about Japan Rail Pass, other rail passes and rail travel in Japan. It explains you how to use Japan Rail Pass and assists you to use Japan Rail Pass to its maximum! And also this site explain about many more rail passes, gives you tips and supports you to enjoy rail trip in Japan.

The Shinkansen (新幹線) is a high speed train service that is operated by JR. It is one of the fastest trains in world and sometimes called “Bullet Train”. JR has this high speed train network throughout Japan. You can save lots of your trip time by using this train system.

I would like to share a basic information about the Shinkansen train system.

What is the difference between Shinkansen and regular trains?

The Shinkansen is completely different railway system from conventional trains that is called Zairaisen (在来線) in Japanese. The Shinkansen is completely separated from other train service and the Shinkansen has fewer stations than conventional lines because this is a long distance intercity train service.

e.g. the segment between Shin-Osaka and Kyoto. No stations on the Shinkansen 13 stations on conventional line (JR Kyoto line)

The Shinkansen does not share the track with other conventional trains. Because the rail gauge of Shinkansen (1,435 mm) is much wider than other JR conventional line standard (1,067 mm). The Shinkansen cannot run on the conventional railway track.

And the Shinkansen has a different fare system. When you change trains from Shinkansen to conventional trains (or versa), you have to go through the Shinkansen transfer gates even though both trains are same JR trains.

The signage of Shinkansen transfer gates. Tokaido/Sanyo Shinkansen is shown by blue and Tohoku and other four Shinkansens are shown by Green.

When you change trains between Shinkansen and other JR trains, please expect to spend at least 10 minutes to transfer and sometimes need more in the huge terminal station, like Tokyo, Shin-Osaka.

All Shinkansen routes

JR has now seven Shinkansen lines and another two “Mini” Shinkansen lines.

The train names are Nozomi, Mizuho, Hikari, Sakura and Kodama. It runs between Shin-Osaka (新大阪) and Hakata (博多). Since many trains go through from the Tokaido Shinkansen, we call Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen. The Sanyo Shinkansen is connected with Kyushu Shinkansen at Hakata as well. Many direct train services, Mizuho and Sakura run to Kumamoto or Kagoshima-Chuo on Kyushu Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka.Nozomi and Mizuho are not covered by Japan Rail Pass.

The train names are Mizuho, Sakura and Tsubasa. It runs between Hakata (博多) and Kagoshima-Chuo (鹿児島中央). All Mizuho and most of Sakura are operated between Shin-Osaka (新大阪) and Kumamoto or Kagoshima-Chuo. There is no direct train service from Tokyo (東京) to Kyushu. Mizuho cannot be used by Japan Rail Pass.

The train names are Hayabusa, Hayate, Yamabiko and Nasuno. It runs between Tokyo (東京) and Shin-Aomori (新青森). This Shinkansen line is connected with the Hokkaido Shinkansen at Shin-Aomori. Many trains run between Tokyo and Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto on Hokkaido Shinkansen line.

The train names are Hayabusa and Hayate. This line runs between Shin-Aomori and Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto（新函館北斗）. But in the train operation, this is the extention part of Tohoku Shinkansen. All trains come from the Tohoku Shinkansen line.

This Shinkansen line runs between Tokyo (東京) and Niigata (新潟). This Shinkansen share the track with the Tohoku Shinkansen between Tokyo (東京) and Omiya. In winter season, some Tanigawa run between Tokyo and Gala Yuzawa.

The train names are Kagayaki, Hakutaka, Asama and Tsurugi. It runs between Tokyo (東京) and Kanazawa (金沢). This Shinkansen share the track with the Joetsu Shinkansen between Tokyo and Takasaki. This Shinkansen line is officially called Hokuriku Shinkansen.

It runs between Tokyo (東京) and Shinjo (新庄) via Yamagata (山形). This Shinkansen train are coupled with Yamabiko on the Tohoku Shinkansen between Tokyo and Fukushima (福島). And it runs on the upgraded regular track. Shinkansen train is basically completely separated from other conventional trains. But Yamagata Shinkansen share the track with a local train between Fukushima and Shinjo. This is a reason why it is called “Mini” Shinkansen.

The train name is Komachi. This Shinkansen line runs between Tokyo (東京) and Akita (秋田). This Shinkansen trains are coupled with Hayabusa on the Tohoku Shinkansen between Tokyo and Morioka (盛岡). And it share the track with the local trains between Morioka and Akita, like Yamagata Shinkansen between Fukushima and Shinjo.

All bullet trains are called “Super Express”. But some trains skip many stations and others stop at all stations. For example, on Tokaido Shinkansen between Tokyo and Shin-osaka, there are three kinds of trains which are Nozomi, Hikari and Kodama. Nozomi is the fastest train and it stops at Tokyo, Shinagawa, Shin-Yokohama, Nagoya, Kyoto and Shin-Osaka only. Hikari stops more and Kodama stops at all stations. But these three trains are called Super Express. As long as train runs on Shinkansen (bullet train) track, it’s called Super Express.

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